University of Mount Olive scored three goals in the final 97 seconds of the first period as the Trojans pulled away for a 13-5 victory over Catawba in non-conference men's lacrosse Monday at Amon Field. Daniel Shields and Matt Shields scored four goals apiece to lead the Trojans in their home opener.
Mount Olive (2-0) took a 2-0 lead after goals by Matt Shields and Cameron Walsh. Catawba cut the lead in half on Steven Ridolfo's goal with 3:20 left in the first period.
Jake Hancock's goal with 1:37 remaining triggered the Trojans' scoring spurt. Stephen Bowlan followed with a goal with 38 seconds left and Matt Shields closed out the first period scoring with eight seconds remaining to give Mount Olive a 5-1 lead.
Catawba (0-1) rallied early in the second period with a pair of goals 58 seconds apart. Tyler Ulrich scored just 18 seconds into the period and Tyler Ulrich added a goal with 13:44 left to pull the Indians within 5-3. Mount Olive would hold Catawba without a goal for nearly 24 minutes of playing time.
The Trojans clung to a two-goal lead until scoring a pair of goals less than a minute apart. Daniel Shields scored off an assist from Matt Shields with 2:42 left in the period and Jesse Mitchell added a goal with 1:45 remaining to give Mount Olive a 7-3 halftime lead.
Mount Olive added two more goals in the third period before Catawba ended its scoreless drought on Ridolfo's goal with 5:12 remaining. Despite a penalty at the end of the play putting Mount Olive a man down, the Trojans struck back just four seconds later on Matt Shields' goal to take a 10-4 lead going into the fourth period.
Mount Olive returns to action Saturday as the Trojans travel to Wingate, N.C., to take on Wingate in a non-conference matchup. Game time is 3 p.m.